Collapsible umbrella



June 22, 1948. w MAPPIN COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA Filed Jan. 18, 1945Patented June 22, 1948 walter hevison Mappin, NcWWest-minster,BritishiGolumbia', Canada A pplicaticnJanuary. .18, 1945,,S,erial.,No...573; 97

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tlvlynnvention relates,to improvements in [50].. 'lapsible umbrellas.The objectsflit the'invention areatq provid e means .wherebyxa.collapsible umbrella may be opened by ordinary movement with both hands,butqwitho t -theneed; of thrusting a part of the frame against a wall orother obstruction to ensure that the'frameparts-assume their appropriateposition. A further-object i's-toprovide means-whereby all the fabriccovering is neatly held within the length of the contracted urnbrellatstem. To provideastructure in which the framemem-bers canbe setfor'telescopic'movemer t 'by the simplecircumferential grasping ofthestrut members adjacent their upper ends.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the invention showing only one completerib structure, the umbrella being in open position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view with the stem extended and the frame inposition for opening.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the umbrella fully closed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing the connection between upperrib, rib extension and strut following the initial part of the umbrellaclosing movement.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the connection when the rib extensionis inwardly pressed to permit said rib extension to be telescoped.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

The numeral l indicates generally a stem consisting of a tubular upperportion and a telescopic lower extension portion 3. The stem extensionportion 3 is fitted with an enlargement 4 which butts against aninternal flange 5 formed at the base of the upper portion 2. Adjacentthe enlargement 4 is a latch 1 of the usual type for the purpose ofretaining the portions 2 and 3 in extended position as shown in Figures1 and 2.

At the lower extremity of the lower stem portion 3 is a grip 9 having acylindrical recess It) in its upper side. A latch I2 is provided in thestem portion 3, this latch has a downward extension I 3 which propectsthrough a slot M in the grip to facilitate the depression of said latchinto the stem portion 3 when the umbrella is fully closed and the latchI2 is engaging the internal flange 5 of the upper stem portion 2.

The upper extremity of the stem I is provided with a disc l6 about whicha plurality of ribs I! are hingedly mounted in the usual way. Each ribhas a U-shaped bend l8 at its upper extremity and a light springretainer l9 extending substantially parallel to the rib to define a gap20. Ad-

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jacent the outerend of each rib t'i and 'onits inner edge a.substantially semi-circular notch 22'. is formed', -see' Figures 4: andSa-ndatthejlower extremitynf-the riba' light leaf-spring 23 is fitted.

1 A slideL'ZBfismounted on eachrib I11 and secured tion wherethe'slid'eZtlwill rest adjacent the U- shapedbend' l8,'see Figure'S. The slide isproaiabric-"cover '30-, indicatedin dottedline ln' Figuresl and 3. only,andisalso provided with a pivot pin"'3'z capable'of entering-thenotch'22 of the rib l! from the pressure exerte'dbythe spring 23 whenthe rib extension 26 is at its outermost position as shown in Figures 1and 2.

A runner 34 is slida/bly mounted upon the stem and. struts 35 arehingedly connected thereto in the usual manner. The struts arepreferably of the conventional U-shaped section as indicated in Figures4 and 5 and are hingedly connected to the slides 25 by their pivot pins32. The runner 34 is supported in raised position as in Figure 1 by a.latch 31 in the upper tubular portion 2 of the stem I.

When it is desired to open the umbrella from the closed position shownin Figure 3, the extension l3 of the latch is moved towards the centreof the grip 9 to release the portion 3 of the stem, so that it can bewithdrawn from the portion 2 to the position shown. If the runner 34does not follow the grip automatically, it is drawn down by hand untilit again approaches the grip as in Figure 2. This downward runnermovement through the struts 35 brings the pivot pins 32 of the slidesopposite the notches 2'2 of the ribs I! and the springs 23 then betweenthe opposing extremities of the ribs l1 and rib extensions 26 forces thepivot pins into said notches to prevent further endwise movement betweensaid ribs and rib extensions. When the pivot pins are so seated anupward movement of the runner 34 will 'extend the ribs and theirextensions to support the fabric 353 in open position as shown in Figure1.

To close the umbrella, the latch 31 is depressed and the runner moveddownwards until the ribs and struts are substantially parallel to thestem I, when in this position a slight outward thrust, in the directionof the arrow X Figure 2, is exerted against each of the ribs I! by arubber collar 39 which is secured immediately below the disc It, Thethrust prevents the lower ends of the ribs from freely contacting thestem so that by grasping the umbrella around either the struts or theoutside of the cover adjacent the slides 25 the slides will compress thesprings 23 and force the pivot pins 32 out of the notches 22 and allowthe struts, the slides and the rib extensions 26 to be pushed upwardlyinto the position shown in Figure 3. As the umbrella is collapsed asabove described, that annular portion of the cover 36 which lies betweenthe free ends of the retainers l9 and the mid length of the ribextensions 26 will be tucked into the gaps 20 so that no portion of thefabric will be hanging in loose and untidy folds outside the frame ofthe umbrella. By affixing the spring 23 to the outer end of the rib Hthe endwise movement of the slide 25 upwards along the rib I1 is notrestrained after said slide has moved the length of said spring,consequently this disposition of said spring is preferred, but it willbe obvious that the spring could be affixed on the inner side of the ribextension as a modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A collapsible umbrella comprising a stem having a plurality of ribsand rib extensions, each rib extension having a slide surrounding a rib,said slide having a transverse pin, said rib having a notch adjacent itsouter end into which the pin is adapted to move, a runner slidable alongthe stem and having hingedly connected struts, each strut beingconnected at its outer end to the transverse pin of one of said slides,and spring means for urging the pin into the notch in the rib.

2. A collapsible umbrella comprising a telescopic stem having ribshingedly connected thereto, a rib extension having a slide at one end,said rib extension being slidably connected to each rib, a cover for theribs and extensions, a runner slidable upon the stem having strutshingedly connected thereto and to the respective slides, means extendingparallel to each rib and carried thereby adjacent the upper end of saidrib defining an open ended gap, the gaps so defined being adapted toreceive an annular portion of the cover when said umbrella is incollapsed position.

3. A collapsible umbrella comprising a telescopic stem having ribshingedly connected thereto, a rib extension having a slide at one end,said rib extension being slidably connected to each rib, a cover for theribs and extensions, a runner slidable upon the stem having strutshingedly connected thereto and to the respective slides, and a memberconnected to one end of each rib and engaging the cover to retain theinner annular portion of said cover folded and in close relation to theribs when the umbrella is in collapsed position.

WALTER LEVISON MAPPIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

